Tool for ballast compacting machine

ABSTRACT

Railway track ballast compressing and shifting apparatus wherein there is provided at least one vibrating compacting tool acting on the ballast between sleepers for simultaneously compressing and shifting the ballast to fill voids beneath the sleepers.

United States Patent [-191 Eisenmann et al.

TOOL FOR BALLAST COMPACTING MACHINE Inventors: Joseph Eisenmann; Heinrich Helgemeir, both of Allmannshausenerstrasse 306, Munich 25, Germany Filed: May 30, 1972 Appl. No.: 257,954

US. Cl. 104/12 Int. Cl EOlb 27/16 Field of Search 104/10, l1, 12; 94/48,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1950 Mertz 104/12 Aug. 13, 1974 3,589,298 6/1971 Plasser et a1 104/12 3,608,496 9/1971 Schenkir et al. 104/12 3,608,498 9/1971 Plasser et a1 104/12 Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Witherspoon and Lane [57] ABSTRACT Railway track ballast compressing and shifting apparatus wherein there is provided at least one vibrating compacting tool acting on the ballast between sleepers for simultaneously compressing and shifting the ballast to fill voids beneath the sleepers.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures l TOOL FOR BALLAST COMPACTING MACHINE This application incorporates by reference any and all of the disclosure in U.S. Application Ser. No. 174,442, filed Aug. 24, 1971 now pending, in the names of Josef Eisenmann and Heinrich Helgemeir needed for a full understanding of this invention.

This invention relates to a tool for ballast compacting machines according to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 174,422, filed Aug. 24, 1971 now pending, in the names of Josef Eisenmann and Heinrich Helgcmeir, for displacing and simultaneously compacting the ballast below the sleepers, which may or may not be raised, by the action of one or more vibrating tools which act on the sleeper regions, the tools acting around the sleepers bridge-fashion and having, on both sides of a sleeper, operating elements comprising at least one oscillating pressure plate,'atleast one transverse thrust member being associated with the underside of the pressure plate in a spaced relationship-determined by one or more legs. Tools of this kind according to U.S. Application Ser. No. 174,422 now pending are single-beamed and their operating element engages in the middle of a ballast compartment, acting on both sides under the neighbouring sleepers. The transverse thrust element is the transverse thrust member and the vertical thrust or pressure element is a pressure plate. Since the transverse thrust member is the bottom part of a pendulum arm set in vibration the transverse thrust member experiences very considerable horizontal deflections of an oscillatory nature. Consequently when the tool penetrates into the ballast the transverse thrust member engages in the ballast very advantageously; whereby, by simultaneously stirring up the surround ballast, the transverse thrust member can advance into a depth as far as the sleeper bottom edges. The agitation reduces the frictional engagement between the surrounding ballast stones to an extent such that a relatively reduced downwards pressure is sufficient to move the stones into a very compacted position in which any voids present are filled up. The energy which the tool transmits to the ballast is in two parts; the mass forces produced by the oscillation are broken down into horizontal and vertical forces to an extent determined mainly by tool shape. The ballast receives the horizontal forces preferably via the transverse thrust member and the vertical forces, with extra pressure amplification, via the pressure plate. In single-beam tools there is a clear distribution into horizontal and vertical forces. In the case of tools which engage around a sleeper bridge fashion, the operating elements are fairly remote from one another, and so the parts furthest away move on the are around the centre of gravity in a pendulum type oscillatory motion, with the result that dissipatory component forces arise on horizontal surfaces and impair the oscillatory movements.

In another known kind of compacting tools which bridge a sleeper and which are of symmetrical construction, vertical pressures are halved and transmitted to the plate-like operating elements. Tools of this kind are driven by single or multiple unbalance motors which operate exclusively vertically.

The invention is founded on the basis that, with a pendulum type oscillating compacting tool of the bridge type. the oscillating energes can be transmitted to the ballast more intensively than previously and solely at the bottom tool parts i.e., the transverse thrust members. Thereby the ballast is moved below a sleeper from both sides thereof and also is pushed and pressed below at least one adjacent sleeper.

The tool and its operating elements must be specially devised to cope with the different work distribution on each side ofthe sleeper, the work being distributed approximately in a ratio of 1:2. It is required to transmit the operative power very efficiently in two physically separate directions, by means of atool which must be compact yet adaptable as a bridge to different sleeper spacings by alteration of the penetration width. The complete combination of tools must also provide voidless compacting of all the ballast present and not just of the ballast very near to or between the sleepers.

According to the invention, therefore, the operating elements which engage in the ballast on both sides have different pressure plate sizes and are offset from the vertical axis of the pressure part in accordance with the area relationship to ensure uniform distribution of an applied pressure per unit of area; and the pressure plates are disposed in their direction on the are of the oscillatory movement of the tool around the centre of gravity, corresponding to the envelope generated surface. Since pressure is distributed uniformly to the pressure plates, the tool can penetrate into the ballast vertically without appreciable deviation. The whole tool can oscillate with little resistance because of the direction of the pressure plates in the direction of the arc of the oscillatory movement of the tool around the centre of gravity. If the pressure plates were disposed in a horizontal plane, a dissipatory pressure acting vertically downwards would be operative, as a component of the swinging movement at the outermost end points of the pressure plates. This pressure would hinder the oscillatory movements and reduce some of the oscillation being transmitted by the transverse thrust members. Dividing the transmission of the work into two inside the tool i.e., so that the transverse thrust member transmits the oscillating forces to the ballast.

whereas the vertical forces are transmitted thereto by the pressure plate is an essential feature for very high efficiency. As a result of the special tool construction enabling three sleepers to be dealt with simultaneously in combination with a similar second tool, the operating elements at the ends of the tool bridge must be adapted to operate on one side towards the engaged sleeper or on two sides against the adjacent sleepers. As a rule, the pressure plates of the operating elements are in an area relationship to one another of 1:2. Since sleeper spacings vary in practice, the operating elements are so disposed on the tool body as to be adjustable relatively to one another in their penetration width. Because of the inclined position of the main pressure plate in the direction of the circle of oscillation, the space conditions on both sides of the transverse thrust member differ; also, the pressure-plate halves associated with the two sides of the transverse thrust member are operative on the ballast surface consecutively i.e., at different times from one another. This would lead to irregular movement of ballast below the adjacent sleepers of the operating element which is operative in two directions. Consequently, a one-sided supplementary pressure plate is disposed at a distance below the main pressure plate so as to contrive below the transverse thrust member equal-sized ballast pres sure spaces and also pressure surfaces on top of the ballast.

Only transverse forces should be transmitted by the transverse thrust members; to this end, the tool drive is provided by two positively synchronized unbalanced motors which apply to the transverse thrust members a dynamic force oscillating around the centre of gravity. 1

An embodiment is shown in the drawing and will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-section of two adjacent tools acting on three sleepers,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of one of the operating elements as it would appear transversely to a rail,

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic cross'section illustrating the minimum adjustable distance between operating elements, and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-section illustrating the maximum distance between operating elements.

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic cross-section of two adjacent tools which act on three sleepers simultaneously. The tool comprises a guiding and vertical pressure part 1 on which are secured two positively synchronised unbalanced motors 2 having bridge carriers 3 screwed on to them on both sides. Operating elements 4, 4 are releasably secured to the bridge carrier ends. The large operating element is adpated to act in two directions and comprises a main pressure plate 5, legs 6 and a transverse thrust member 7. A supplementary pressure plate 8 is disposed below the main pressure plate 5 for the same ballast space on both sides of the member 7 and is bent slightly at its outer end so as to-be able to retain the ballast against the vertical pressure. The small or minor operating element 4 has a small pressure plate 5, half a leg 6 and a transverse thrust member 7 which is operative just in one direction. The synchronised motors 2 force the whole tool to oscillate about the centre of gravity which is in the top of the tool because of special mass relationships.

The oscillatory movement is at a maximum on the members 7, 7 These transverse thrust members would, in their oscillatory movement, only produce a void in the ballast bed unless the too] were to penetrate into the ballast so that, with the pressure of the pressure plates 5, 5', 8 on the ballast, this would be pressed back and filled up. Consequently, the transverse thrust members can produce a transverse thrust of the ballast per oscillatory stroke of the' same order of magnitude as the oscillatory deflection and thus shift the ballast transversely below the sleepers. The transverse output of the members 7,7 is theoretically equal, per unit of time, to the number of oscillatory deflections times their size. The void which arises on the outside of member 7' during the oscillatory movement is not filled up subsequently since a pressure plate is missing, and so there is no transverse movement of the ballast in this region. There is therefore movement of the ballast transversely and, in response to the downwards pressure, vertically only at the places where the cross-thrust combination forces i.e., the transverse thrust provided by the oscillating transverse thrust members and the vertical pressure provided by the pressure plates are operative.

In FIG. 3 of drawings, the operating elements are illustrated at the minimum distance apart while in FIG. 4, the operating elements are at their maximum distance apart. It should be noted that it is operating element 4 which is adjustable to provide the aforcdescribed variation.

In FIG. 2, there is shown one of the operating elements 4 as it would appear transversely of a rail.

What is claimed is:

l. A compacting tool for use in conjunction with a railway track ballast compacting machine adapted to force the ballast between sleepers up under said sleeper to ends thereunder, said machine having means for applying downward force to said tool and means for vibrating the tool, each tool acting around the sleepers bridge-fashion and having on both sides of a sleeper operating elements comprising at least one oscillating pressure plate, at least one transverse thrust member being associated with the underside of the pressure plate in a spaced relationship determined by at least one leg, characterized in that the operating elements which engage in the ballast on both sides have different pressure plate sizes and are offset from the vertical axis of the pressing part in accordance with the area relationship to ensure uniform distribution of an applied pressure per unit of area; and the pressure plates are disposed in their direction on the arc of the oscillatory movement of the tool around the center of gravity, corresponding to the envelope generated surface.

2. A tool according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating elements at the ends of the tool bridge are adapted to be operative on one side towards the engaged sleeper or on two sides against the adjacent sleepers.

3. A tool according to claim 2, characterized in that the pressure plates of the operating elements are in an area relationship to one another of 1:2.

4. A tool according to claim 3, characterized in that the operating elements are so disposed on the tool body as to be adjustable relatively to one another in their penetration width.

5. A tool according to claim 4, characterized in that a one-sided supplementary pressure plate disposed at a distance below the pressure plate beside the transverse thrust member provides equal-sized ballast pressure spaces and also pressure surfaces sitting on the ballast.

6. A tool according to claim 5, characterized in that the tool drive is provided by two positively synchronized unbalanced motors with an inertia force oscillating about the center of gravity. 

1. A compacting tool for use in conjunction with a railway track ballast compacting machine adapted to force the ballast between sleepers up under said sleeper to ends thereunder, said machine having means for applying downward force to said tool and means for vibrating the tool, each tool acting around the sleepers bridge-fashion and having on both sides of a sleeper operating elementS comprising at least one oscillating pressure plate, at least one transverse thrust member being associated with the underside of the pressure plate in a spaced relationship determined by at least one leg, characterized in that the operating elements which engage in the ballast on both sides have different pressure plate sizes and are offset from the vertical axis of the pressing part in accordance with the area relationship to ensure uniform distribution of an applied pressure per unit of area; and the pressure plates are disposed in their direction on the arc of the oscillatory movement of the tool around the center of gravity, corresponding to the envelope generated surface.
 2. A tool according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating elements at the ends of the tool bridge are adapted to be operative on one side towards the engaged sleeper or on two sides against the adjacent sleepers.
 3. A tool according to claim 2, characterized in that the pressure plates of the operating elements are in an area relationship to one another of 1:2.
 4. A tool according to claim 3, characterized in that the operating elements are so disposed on the tool body as to be adjustable relatively to one another in their penetration width.
 5. A tool according to claim 4, characterized in that a one-sided supplementary pressure plate disposed at a distance below the pressure plate beside the transverse thrust member provides equal-sized ballast pressure spaces and also pressure surfaces sitting on the ballast.
 6. A tool according to claim 5, characterized in that the tool drive is provided by two positively synchronized unbalanced motors with an inertia force oscillating about the center of gravity. 